Day 3 of the Alledged Sunday Rapist Trail

 Jaco Steyn laughing when he asked me today whether I brought the money after he asked me yesterday whether he could get R1 for every photograph I take of him.

Adv. Anton Lerm consulting with Steyn in the holding sells in court, on the right is a reflection in the window of the court room.

My experiences.

Day three was again a very emotional day in court with the forensic pathologist giving testimony. Dr Gina Rowe testified that Louise De Waal was probably still alive when her body was burnt. I must say that its not an easy thing to hear even though we try to distance ourselves by "hiding" behind the lens. I can only imagine what the De Waal family must be going through and my heart really goes out to them. Standing in court and facing your daughters alleged killer must be one of the most difficult things to do.

I'm not a journalist by trade so I wont be going into all the details of all the witnesses testimonies but more my own experiences of the trial.

Steyn is a very interesting character always coming in to court and sitting down immediately, looking down and arranging his documents that he takes notes on. Sometimes he starts by making notes other times he just sits there. He also carriers a Bible into court with him. The weirdest thing is trying to photograph him and then while your not expecting it, he suddenly looks up and says something to you. This is where he asked me the first time about the R1 for every photo and him smiling on the photo.

Then directly after that the court adjourns and after the break he comes back and he tells the judge that the photographers are too intense and that he will revoke his permission for us to photograph him if we don't cool it down. Weird I know.

I must say on day three its already getting difficult getting new photographs that has not been shot yet. I managed today but I will have to get creative during the rest of the trial. When I need to photograph the De Waal family, I try to give them their space and stand far back shooting with my long lense as not to intrude. My focus is more on Jaco Steyn and what he does during the times I'm allowed to photograph him. But I also try to read the situation with the testimonies that are going on, and try to get a feel of what the story in the paper will be like. The reason is that I'm trying to match up my photograph with the story.



Dag 3 in die hof 


Uitreksel uit Marzanne Van Den Berg se Storie wat in Beeld verskyn het vandag: Die volle artikel is beskikbaar by: http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Sy-leef-toe-sy-brand-hoor-hof-20120725

Woensdag het die hof gehoor Louise de Waal het waarskynlik nog gelewe toe haar liggaam aan die brand gesteek is.

Dr. Gina Rowe, die patoloog wat die lykskouing op die 16-jarige se verkoolde lyk gehou het, het gister gesê sy het roet in Louise se lugpyp gevind en dit dui aan sy het nog asemgehaal toe die brand gestig is.

“Oh my God,” het Shireen de Waal, Louise se ma, duidelik hoorbaar in die openbare galery gesê in reaksie op Rowe se woorde.

Dit was op die derde dag van die verhoor van Johannes Jacobus Steyn (36), die vermeende “Sondagverkragter”. 

Hy staan in die hooggeregshof wat in die Palm Ridge-landdroshof in Thokoza aan die Oos-Rand sit op 37 aanklagte tereg, waaronder die ontvoering en verkragting van en moord op Louise. 

Sy is op 12 Oktober verlede jaar in Roodepoort ontvoer.

Die res van die artikel kan by die link wat bo gegee word gelees word.